Bedazzled

On release most critics turned their noses up at Bedazzled, preferring to harp on about the 1967 version of the film, starring Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, in a style that boiled down to "they don't make them like they used to", whilst massaging their egos by being able to talk lustfully about a film the majority of the cinema going public hadn't heard of, let alone seen.

What they should have been doing was saying how well Bedazzled slots into the history of wonderfully uncomplicated comedies that director Harold Ramis has brought to the screen, as well as championing it as the natural successor to such great films as Analyse This, Groundhog Day, Ghostbusters and Caddyshack.

The unsurprisingly straightforward plot centres on Elliot Richards (Fraser), a socially incompetent technical advisor working at a call-centre, who has had a crush on workmate Alison Gardner (O'Connor) for nearly four years. When in a moment of despair Elliot says he'd do anything to be with her, he is answered by an incredibly beautiful woman (Hurley) who introduces herself as the Devil, and who offers him seven wishes in exchange for his soul. Elliot quickly accepts and starts trying to wish his way into Alison's affections. Of course, things don't go quite as planned, as the Devil puts a sting in the tail of each wish.

Bedazzled never attempts to be an intelligent or thought-provoking piece of cinema - the only awards it has been nominated for are for its make-up and hair dressing. However it is the wonderful look of the film, or more appropriately of its leads, that carries the film as much as the non-stop gags. Hurley combines her long expertise of looking fabulous in unsubtle attire with a deliciously wicked performance, whilst Fraser builds on his natural talent for straight faced comedy performances as used to great effect in The Mummy. Great cinema comes much better, great entertainment doesn't.

David Goody